The Break, The Crack, The Questions

Lunch

Lunch was sliced turkey on a toasted gluten-free bagel with sweet potato wedges on the side. This lunch tasted great and didn’t give me any issues. Awesome.

Snack

A little while later, I snacked on a NRG Bar, which was made with all sorts of whole grains, which didn’t seem to upset my stomach—no major issues at least! Maybe things really are getting better? I dunno, but it tasted pretty amazing, especially compared to all of the bland foods I’ve been eating lately. Spoke too soon. My intenstines are not happy about this bar (or possibly something else I ate). Meh.

The Break

Attention Back on My Feet supporters! Tomorrow night, Back on My Feet’s Founder and CEO, Anne Mahlum, is hosting a documentary about youth homelessness on MTV that airs at 8PM (EST).

Anne will provide a first-hand look into the harsh reality endured by young homeless men and women in “The Break,” a 90-minute inspirational documentary.

The Crack Heard ‘Round the World

Breaking into a wheel of our 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano is like “cracking open happiness.” There is a centuries-old art to opening the cheese wheels by using official tools (five different types of knives) so the internal crystalline structure and crumbly texture is left intact.

To honor this tradition and celebration of this beloved cheese — on Saturday March 10, 2012 at 3pm EST — wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano will be simultaneously cracked and sampled at Whole Foods Markets across the US, Canada and the UK. Shoppers are encouraged to stop by their local store to enjoy samples and pairing ideas.

I’m a big dork and want to see this happen. I love cheese! And breaking things.

Three Questions Thursday

They’re super easy to make! Just preheat the oven to 400*F, cut your sweet potatoes into wedges, toss with olive oil and sea salt, spread on a baking sheet, and cook for 40-45 minutes. I usually toss them around every 10 minutes or so just to prevent them from sticking to the pan. After 40-45 minutes, turn up the oven to broil and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the outsides are crispy.

I love your blog and have been a reader for a couple years now! I have run 2 half marathons and did my first full in November. The thing is, after that race, I lost all motivation. College started up again, my friends were around, and I got into a serious relationship and even started an internship! With all that I can’t seem to find my love for running again. I can’t seem to find that “spark” to get the ball rolling again. Any advice? What do you do when you’re in a rut?

Oh, yes, I know the feeling all too well, especially after getting burnt out on running after the New York City Marathon this past fall. For me, the best way to jump-start my motivation is finding a new way to exercise. Before I found CrossFit, I tried TRX, SurfSET Fitness, and bought a one-month membership to a new gym as a way to mix it up. All of these things (plus CrossFit, of course) helped me get myself out of an exercise rut.

Fitness motivation is actually one of my favorite topics to write about, so check out the following posts for some more ideas!

For breakfast I usually eat one cup of Kashi cereal with blueberries or raspberries and milk and a banana with peanut butter. I try to make myself wait until lunch to eat again, but I’m always starving. What can I do to not feel famished just a few hours after breakfast?

It sounds like you’re starting the day off with a healthy meal, but it seems like you might need some additional protein and fat to keep you full for longer. Some of my favorites are foods with staying power are Greek yogurt, eggs, nut butters, nuts, and smoothies with protein powder. You could also add a mid-morning snack to your day, especially if you’re starving at lunchtime. I find snacks that include lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber keep me full the longest. For some ideas, here’s a big list of my favorite snacks.

the bar sounds like it might have had too much fiber! So frustrating, and good tips with the last thursday question, I’m working on adding more healthy fats to my diet which is so helpful in staying full!

How can you tell which foods are causing you the pain? When I was having digestion issues, my doc told me that it takes 12-24 hours to fully digest solid food. So when we go #2, we eliminate what we ate 2-3 meals ago, not our last meal. Maybe I have this all wrong, but if you’re having pain after eating the NRG bar, it might still be caused by your breakfast or last night’s dinner, no?

@Bridget: Probably. It’s hard to say, especially with a flare. I’m basically going off what happens a little while after I eat. I’m keeping a journal, so I’m trying to see if I can find any patterns with what I’m eating.

I’m glad to hear that you are having a little bit better time with the stomach issues. I have colitis, too. One thing that really does help me is yogurt. It may not sound good yet, but it can help after a flare. I like plain yogurt with a little agave to cut the tartness. Grains usually hurt me a lot. I hope you feel better really quickly.

My absolute favorite cereal is kashi heart to heart warm cinnamon I mix it with panda puffs it sounds gross but it’s not it’s delicious, I’m eating it right now Actually
On a seperate note I hope your feeling better (:

That cheese sound wonderful. I also really want to try the baked sweet potato fries. As far as the last question about breakfast not filling you up, I experience the same thing if I don’t eat enough protein. For me eating quite a bit of protein for breakfast is super helpful in keeping me full until breakfast. (Eggs and cottage cheese are my favorite morning protein sources.)

Been reading through some of your recent posts and sorry to hear you aren’t feeling well, but glad you are feeling a little better Tina. As I’m currently studying holistic health to become a Certified Health Counselor, I 100% agree that diet, nutrition, and natural herbal supplements can make such a difference. I know what it’s like when a doctor makes it seem like “nothing” can be done.

Have you tried doing any sort of cleanse or detox? Sometimes it’s good just to clean out the system – – going back to the basics with greens, fresh fruit, and loads of water. Also, avoiding caffeine, alcohol, processed food, and sugar as much as possible.

My aunt was diagnosed a few months ago with stage 1 cervical cancer, and just found out the exciting news today that she 100% healed herself the natural way – through detox, change in her diet and lifestyle. Yes, there is not a single sign of cancer left in her system…

This gives me such hope and just goes to show how food & natural supplements are the real “medicines” out there.

Glad your keeping your meals in. I read your blog everyday, how did I miss 3 question Thursday? Love the advice you gave for being hungry before lunch. I normally have a snack in between breakfast and lunch, that normally satisfies me! Enjoy your evening!

I love that you have Three Question Thursdays! For the last question, I would say definitely eat a snack before lunch if you’re starving for lunch- easy solution, and eating lots of small things through the day can be really good for you

I love making sweet potato fries! Here’s a tip if you want them extra crunchy. Toss them in olive oil and 1 egg white then sprinkle with sea salt and bake as mentioned. They turn out fantastic this way! Sorry to hear about the flare up after the snack bar…I dunno maybe it’s too much sugar??? I have to avoid sweet things like the plague when my guts are all flared up! Hope you feel better soon though

Love the 3 questions. It’s so so important to get enough protein in the morning; makes such a big difference throughout the day in terms of my hunger! Hope you feel better soon…unfortunately it sounds like trial and error with food. Thinking positive thoughts!

We have just recently reeceiovdrsd how wonderful Hummus is. I go through phases where I will buy it at the store to use as a primary snack. Then I get a little sick of it and quit for a while. But, recently while on vacation, some friends showed my how to make it myself so that I can control how much garlic and other ingredients get put into it. I never realized how easy it is to make it. So for now, I am back on the kick where I am eating it all of the time either with crackers or on a toasted Pita. Yum ..

hey Tina –
Really enjoying your blog all around and appreciate that you are sharing such a challenging time in your life. I love that you are open and honest about what you are physically going thru – you may never know how many people you are helping by sharing your experiences.
With that being said, I thought I’d send along a link to a page I read this morning – not sure if you will find it helpful (or you may even already be aware), but it can’t hurt to pass along info and let you make your own conclusions. Sending lots of good healing vibes to you!!

For some reason I think my message is gone. What kind of gluten free bagels do you buy? I have Celiac Disease so I know a little bit about all of the tests you are going through. I hope you are feeling better very soon!